Convertible reclining chair



March 14, 1944. ,I

convrmwneamv RECLINING CHAIR Filed Feb. 19. -1943 1.9 TEF-l 3.1.E- ymy E will@ E. T. PAUL f 2,343,923

Patented Mar. 14, 1944 coNvEa'rleLE REcLINiNG CIAIR Elim;

- "to Frank Craft, Pikesville, Ky.

applicati@ seminary 19, 1943, serial No. 476,432 i 3 claims. (criss- 1106) This invention relates to'chairs and more particularly to convertible reclining chairs andfit consists in the constructions, arrangements and combinations-herein described and claimed.

It is an object of the invention to provide a convertible reclining chair having a perfect balance, requiring a minimum of eort on the part of the occupant to move` the seat and back rest from a normal position to a reclining position and vice versa. 1

It is also an object of the invention'to provide novel stop means for limiting movements beyond the proper reclining position of the seat and back rest, as well las stop means for the normal position of the chair.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a novel construction and mounting of a foot rest whereby strain on the pivots of the chair is eliminated, specially when a person gets into or out of the chair.

Additional objects, advantages and features of invention will be apparent from the following description and accompanying drawing, wherein,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a chair constructed in accordance with the invention, with a portion of the supporting frame broken away.

Figure 2 is a front elevation thereof,

Figure 3 is a top plan vieW thereof,

Figure 4 is a cross section on the line 4--4 of Figure l,

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the chair, parts being broken away, illustrating the reclining position of the chair.

There is illustrated a chair generally indicated by the reference character I consisting of a pair of side frame members II, shown in the present instance as an inverted U-shaped frame I2, between the legs I3 of which there is secured a side wall I 4, The frame members II may be constructed from wood, metal or other suitable material, as found practical. The frame members l I are suitable spaced apart and rigidly connected by a panel I at the rear, the panel stopping shortV of the upper edges of the frame members in order to provide a clearance for swinging movements of the back rest presently to be described.

A combined seat and back rest I6 is employed, of an overall width such as to freely t between the frame members II. The seat is indicated at l'i and consists of a base frame I8 upon which there is suitably constructed an upholstered cushion. The back rest consists of a base I9 suitably upholstered toaiford comfort to an occupant. The lower edge of the back rest is pivotallyconnected to the rear edge'of the seat as indicated at 20, the seat and rest being suspended within the chair frame in such relation as to aloid the greatestcomfort to an occupant, as will now be explained. inwardly of the front legs I3 of the side fram II, a front hanger bar 2| is pivotally mounted at'its upper. end upon a pivot pin 22 fixed within the 'side walls I4, the lower end of the hanger bari 2l being pivotally connected as at 2I to a side` rail 23 of a foot rest 24. The hanger bars 2i lie'routwardly of the side rails and flush against the sides of the base frame I8 of the seat and at a pointadjacent the upper edge of the base frame, the hanger bars are pivoted thereto,v as indicated at 25.

Forwardly of the rear legs I3 of the side frame .i pins 25 are provided for pivotal mounting of rear hanger bars 21. The hanger bars 21 lie flush with the frame `I8 of the back rest and are pivotally connected adjacent the upper ends thereof as indicated at 28. The rear -hanger bars 21 are of a length stopping slightly above the supporting surface of the legs I3, for pivotally mounting the rear ends of the side rails 23, as shown at 2S. The bars 21 extend above the pivot pins 25 a substantial distance.

Upon the forward underside of the seat frame I8 a stop 3U is secured, which functions to limit the reclining position of the chair, and upon each side frame II a stop 3I is secured upon respective walls I for limiting backward swinging movement of the front hanger bars, the movement of which is also prevented by contact of the foot rest 24 upon a supporting surface, such as the floor.

The hanger bars 2| are pivotally connected to the side walls I4 and related to the seat I1 and the side rails 23 so as to form, substantially, a parallelogram, the pivotal points of which are so located as to present a. perfect balance of the lseat and back-rest, necessitating a minimum of effort to convert the chair into a reclining position and without sudden or abrupt movements when returning to normal position of the chair.

In use, a person enters the chair by stepping directly upon the foot rest 24 and seats himself upon the seat I1. Since the foot rest engages the floor, strain upon the pivots is avoided. Now when it is desired to attain ra reclining. position of the chai-r, a backward pressure is exerted upon the back-rest, which may be accomplished by the mere backward movement vof the head, augmented by a slight forward exertion upon the foot rest. As soon as the chair has reached the full reclining position, as shown in Figure 5, the stop 30 will engage respective side rails 23 and further movement will be prevented VIt will be noted that in the full reclining position of the the hanger bars, side rails and foot` rest is aci? complished and downward rearward movement- Y bars,

hanger bars for limiting backward movement thereof and stop means carried by the seat and engageable by said side Stringer members for limiting the reclining position of the back rest and said seat. y

2. A convertible reclining chair comprising parallel side frame members connected in spaced members connected in spaced relation, a rear hanger bar pivotally connected tothe rear upper portions of each frame member, aback rest pivotally connected to upper portions of the hanger respective front hanger bars pivotally 'mounted adjacent the upper front portion of the To bring the chair tornorrnalV position-,alf-

'of the seat and back rest is attained ,ina slow easy manner, until the foot rest engages the il'oor andthefrentihanger bars;` 2| engage. the stops 3 Ir.

While; I have shown; and; describeda preferred construction, thiss by way of illustration. only; 'and Iv consider as. my own; all:y such modifications in construction as fairly fall within the scope of u theappendedf claims.,

I claim; i i

1,. A convertible reclining chai-r comprising parallelside. frame members'connected nzspaced re.-

lation a rearhanger bar lpivotally connected to o rear upper portions of each frame member, a back rest pivotallyconnectedtoI upper portions of the hanger bars, respective` front Ahanger bars; piv.- otallymountedy adjacent-the upper front, portion oil theframe members, a seat member hingedly connected to a lower portion of thev back rest, and v pivotally connected between respective, front hanger-bars adjacent. the upper ends. thereof, a side. stringermember pivotally connected to the lower extremities of` said back and,y front hanger bars, stopmeans engageablev lwith the; front frame` members, the downward length of the frontl and rearhanger bars from their points of pivot` being such as to stop closely adjacent the supporting surfaces of the side frame members, a sidestrin'ger` member being pivotally connected between respective front and rear hanger bars, a foot rest connecting the side Stringer members and located forwardly or the frame members, said foot; rest; being adapted to contact aA supporting surface-in'normal position'V of the Stringer members, a; stop, means, :on respective frame members inthe patin of rearward swinging movementv of -thesfrontz hanger bars, a seat, member pivotally 'connected to the, lower portion of the backA rest rnembert'and to respectivefront hanger members below` the pivotal mountings thereof and a stop member on the lower front portion of the seat for contacting engagement with respective side Stringer. members for limitingM reclining position .ofxtheibackrest and said seat.

yf 3.. The; structure of claim. 2 inwhich the pivots of said hanger bars are so located with respect to the: pivotalV connection; between the back rest and seat that in, the. -reclining position of the latten, theipivot between the back rest and seat vwill alpi-ane substantially in the medial longitudinal axis of the rear hanger. bars.

ELIHU T. PAUL. 

